Steam for Linux

As someone who is going to back to college for game development, and has been a long time fan of the linux operating system and life long PC gamer I have a suggestion for the linux steam client. Valve has been talking about creating this open system within steam to make it easier for developers and the community to manage. My suggestion is to apply a filter for the Big Picture and regular steam store front to show Linux only games on default. I know Valve, Steam and Linux gaming has a long road ahead of it to become something that everyone can enjoy, and I feel that this would help with the frustration for the average user to see right away what games are out for the platform they chose to play games on. This could be a setting that can be changed in the menus for people who move from a Linux based Steam Box to their desktop computer. I think doing this would help user frustration if and when a Linux based SteamBox would be available in a store like BestBuy or Gamestop.

I agree that it should be like that for all platforms. I only hope that if we talk about it as a community that Valve looks at the community voice and makes changes for the good of the gaming community. As the client is right now, I see people buying a SteamBox and then posting negative feedback about the platform because they see all these games yet they can't play them because they aren't for the platform they are currently playing on. We need a Linux based gaming platform that is as easy as Steam has been on Windows and as user friendly as XboxLive and the Playstation Network. Something that just works for that platform with no frustrations.

It's the same as all other consoles. Apart from a few launch titles, there will be no games for the PS4, for the new xbox whatever it will be called. Regardless, they will release these machines, and games will follow.

When Valve releases the new console, if it'll be successful, new games will come.

Don't know too much about consoles. But I think there has to be somekind base of games. That there is something to play with and some popular games. I really hope that Activision jumps on the board and ports coming call of duty based games on linux.

It's the same as all other consoles. Apart from a few launch titles, there will be no games for the PS4, for the new xbox whatever it will be called. Regardless, they will release these machines, and games will follow.

When Valve releases the new console, if it'll be successful, new games will come.

I agree with both of you. A new release of any console is going to start off slow in this day and age. Valve has already stated that the Valve SteamBox that they release will be on an Ubuntu Linux install with Big Picture Mode starting when you turn it on. I think now is the time to voice our concerns as gamers and possibly some developers currently working on games. This has the potential to be a truely great event in gaming for the Linux platform. I think if we create a thread like this and talk about it as a community that Valve may listen to the communities concerns. Like I said, I'm currently going to school for game development. The idea of creating a game for an open console platform with no additional development cost sounds amazing to me. Design the game within Valve's SteamBox specs. They are talking about this open Steam Community where they aren't the gatekeepers to the system. I think that brings up concerns and if these concerns are brought up by the community, then maybe Valve will at least talk about these concerns to the community in some way.